Street-car fender



(No Model.)

EMEYBR. STREET GAR FENDER.

No. 548,570. Patented Oct. 22, 1895.-

Q 911: loo-sea.-

ANDREW BGRAHAM PHOTO-LI'I'HQWASIHNGTUMQC UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

HENRY MEYER, OF ALTON, ILLINOIS.

STREET-CAR FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,570, dated October 22, 1895.

Application filed May 27, 1895. Serial No. 550,831. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY MEYER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Alton, in the county of Madison and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Car- Fenders for Street-Cars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and ex act description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The invention relates to improvements in fenders adapted to be connected with the front ends of electric or cable cars, which can be extended when the car is in use so as to catch and hold a person in front thereof and when the car is not in use can be folded up out of the way.

My object of the invention is to provide an improved device of the above character which shall possess superior advantages with respect to efficiency in operation.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fender and part of a car constructed in accordance with my invention, the apron being removed. Fig.2 is a central longitudinal section of the same, the apron being in place. Fig.3 is a detail perspective view.

In the said drawings the reference-numeral 1 designates the front platform of an electric, cable, or other car of any ordinary or usual construction provided with a dashboard 2.

The numeral 3 designates two downwardlydepending hangers secured to the under side of the car-platform, to which is journaled a transverse shaft 6. Secured to this shaft is a frame consisting of side bars 7 and front crossbar 8. The bars 7 are provided with eyes 9, through which the shaft 6 passes, which is held in place by set-screws 10. The front bar 8 is wound with rope or other similar material to prevent injury to a person struck thereby. Connected with said frame and with the dashboard is an apron 12, of canvas or other textile material. The frame is also per end of the dashboard.

provided with chains 13, secured to the dashboard.

Secured to the shaft 6 is a crank 14, provided with a link 15, which in turn is connected with a crank 16 on the lower end of a vertical rod 17, passing through the platform 1' and also through a bracket 18 near the up- This bracket consists of a plate having its upper end bent over at a right angle and its edge rounded, forming a segment 19, provided with peripheral notches 20. The upper end of the rod 17 is provided with a collar 21, having a bifurcated arm 23, to which is pivoted a lever 24, which, when turned down, engages with one of the notches in the segment and prevents the rod from rotating;

Secured to brackets 25 on the front of the dashboard is a vertical tube or rod 26, formed with aligned vertical slots 27, with which ongages a ring 28, which is connected with the rear edge of the apron at about the center thereof. A coiled spring 29 is interposed between the ring and lower bracket 25. The object of this construction is to allow the apron to yield when a person is caught thereon and prevent tearing thereof. The coiled spring forces the ring up when the weight is removed from the apron and keeps the latter taut.

The numeral 30 designates a. platform secured to the frame for supporting the apron when a person is caught thereby.

The operation is as follows: When the fender is not to be used, it is folded up by rotating the rod 17. When, however, a person is on the track and is in danger of being run over, the gripman or motorman throws up lever 24, disengaging it from the notch in the segment, when the frame will fall by gravity, so as to catch and hold the person. The chains 13 prevent the frame from falling down too far.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an electric, cable, or other car, the combination with the platform and the dashboard, the segment bracket secnred to the dashboard formed with peripheral notches, the vertical rod, the collar having a bifurcated arm, the pivoted lever, and the crank to the dash-board, the slotted rod connected therewith, the ring working in said slots and secured to the 'apron and the coiled spring;

substantially as described. 1 I I: In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto efiixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses. I

HENRY MEYER.

l/Vitnesses:

CHARLES M. YAGER, JAMES J. HENRY. 

